Spinningfields
Encyclopedia
Spinningfields is a large business, retail and residential development in Manchester
, England
that lies in the western portion of the City Centre
, between south Deansgate
and the River Irwell
. The Spinningfields complex is the masterplan of Allied London Properties, a London
-based property development and investment company. It takes its name from Spinningfield—a narrow street which ran westwards from Deansgate; in 1968 Spinningfield and the site of the buildings immediately to the south were turned into Spinningfield Square, an open paved area with a statue called "Freedom of the Press" complementing the adjacent Manchester Evening News building.
However, due to the financial crisis of 2007–2010, Allied London's ambitious plans were in jeopardy of leaving Spinningfields half completed. However Allied London reached an agreement with Manchester City Council
in a rescue deal, which involved the council buying various plots of land on the sites in a freehold agreement, namely 1 and 2 Hardman Square and 2 and 3 Hardman Boulevard, from Allied London at an unknown price. The council did not disclose the amount they paid, yet Deborah Linton of the Manchester Evening News
claimed before the deal was made that the sum of money would be in the region of £15 million for the plots of land; it was later revealed that £15.9 million had been paid.
.
Spinningfields is widely believed to be an area that is fast becoming the Canary Wharf
of the North, with the Financial Times
noting, "London
has Canary Wharf
and Paris
has La Défense
, Manchester has its own modern financial centre in the form of Spinningfields".
The Spinningfields area assumes the shaped of a slightly warped box, being boxed in by Bridge Street to the north, Quay Street
to the south, Deansgate
to the east, and the River Irwell
to the west.
The area is predominantly commercial office developments. There are two buildings occupied by the Royal Bank of Scotland
; 1 Hardman Boulevard and 1 Spinningfields Square. The latter building opens onto Deansgate and, due to its accessibility to pedestrians, contains a deli
and a restaurant in its ground floor.
Across from 1 Hardman Boulevard is 2 Hardman Street, which is occupied by the Manchester Evening News
and Deloitte. Facing this building is 3 Hardman Street
, which was constructed on the site of the former Manchester Evening News building. Designed by Sheppard Robson, the 16-storey building was completed in 2009 and, aside from the Manchester Civil Justice Centre
, is the tallest in the development in Spinningfields, but could lose the title to the proposed 140 metre 1 Hardman Square.
There are residential buildings within Spinningfields in the form of the 16-storey Leftbank Apartments, which overlook the River Irwell, as well as government buildings, including the Civil Justice Centre of Manchester, an 80 m (262 ft) high building completed in 2007. The old criminal courts also lie within the Spinningfields area. Just outside the area, facing the Civil Justice Centre, is the People's History Museum
and, beyond that, Salford Central railway station
.
Also completed in 2007 are 3 Hardman Square and 4 Hardman Square, which were designed by Norman Foster
, himself originally from Stockport
, now part of Greater Manchester. 3 Hardman Square is occupied by Halliwells Solicitors and Number 4 is occupied by HSBC Bank
and Grant Thornton
.
Spinningfields Leisure
The area around the Left Bank residential development contains a cluster of restaurants including Café Rouge; Carluccio's; Gourmet Burger Kitchen; Giraffe; Ha! Ha!; Samsi; Strada; Wagamama; and Zizzi. Living Ventures plans two new establishments: The Alchemist (bar); and Australasia (fine dining restaurant) to open in late 2010/early 2011. Despite being linked to the scheme, it seems that Jamie Oliver
's Jamie's Italian will not be opening at Spinningfields--a location on King Street
seems the preferred option.
It is rumoured that Armani plans to open an Armani Caffe at the rear of its new store at 1 The Avenue. Fast food operators represented include: Bagel Nash; Greggs; Philpotts and Pret a Manger.
Spinningfields Retail
Allied London marketed Spinningfields retail offer as a "Knightsbridge of the North" following a pre-let to Emporio Armani & Armani Collezioni at 2 Spinningfields Square (renamed 1 The Avenue). However, the scheme's flagship thoroughfare 'The Avenue' struggled to attract the likes of Cartier, Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany whilst others such as Paul Smith pulled out of the scheme (1 Crown Square). The slow take-up led to the opening being pushed back from Autumn 2008 to Autumn 2010.
The revised line-up now (as of August 2010) comprises:
In July 2010, Allied London scrapped the 'Manchester Hotel' concept which would have replaced Manchester House. Instead a retail and office development incorporating a new retail arcade linking Bridge Street to The Avenue at its western end would be created by reconfiguring the building.
Waitrose
has been announced as the anchor tenant occupying a unit fronting Bridge Street.
) is still in pre-planning stages, but is believed to be the tallest proposal of the development. A design of a building with a sloping roof and with a height of 165 m (541 ft) was submitted but has since been scrapped and new proposals being worked on thought to be around 140 metres in height. It will be designed by Norman Foster
and construction cannot begin until the demolition of Quay House, which still lies on the current site.
The John Rylands Library
(opened 1900) lies within the Spinningfields area, and a major extension and renovation of the building was completed in 2007, including a new entrance and reading room.
Although mostly commercial, the buildings within Spinningfields will contain various boutique retail outlets.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
that lies in the western portion of the City Centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
, between south Deansgate
Deansgate
Deansgate is a main road through the city centre of Manchester, England. It runs roughly north–south in a near straight route through the western part of the city centre and is the longest road in the city centre at over one mile long....
and the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
. The Spinningfields complex is the masterplan of Allied London Properties, a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based property development and investment company. It takes its name from Spinningfield—a narrow street which ran westwards from Deansgate; in 1968 Spinningfield and the site of the buildings immediately to the south were turned into Spinningfield Square, an open paved area with a statue called "Freedom of the Press" complementing the adjacent Manchester Evening News building.
However, due to the financial crisis of 2007–2010, Allied London's ambitious plans were in jeopardy of leaving Spinningfields half completed. However Allied London reached an agreement with Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
in a rescue deal, which involved the council buying various plots of land on the sites in a freehold agreement, namely 1 and 2 Hardman Square and 2 and 3 Hardman Boulevard, from Allied London at an unknown price. The council did not disclose the amount they paid, yet Deborah Linton of the Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
claimed before the deal was made that the sum of money would be in the region of £15 million for the plots of land; it was later revealed that £15.9 million had been paid.
Location
There will be a total of 20 buildings within the Spinningfields area, spread over 6 acres (24,281.2 m²), and their construction status varies; as of 2008 many are completed, others are still under construction, while other buildings are still in the planning stages. The developers are Allied London. The structural, civil and geo-environmental engineers are Capita Symonds Structures based in Cheadle HulmeCheadle Hulme
Cheadle Hulme is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southwest of Stockport and southeast of the city of Manchester. It lies in the Ladybrook Valley on the Cheshire Plain, and the drift consists mostly of boulder clay, sands and gravels...
.
Spinningfields is widely believed to be an area that is fast becoming the Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
of the North, with the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
noting, "London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
has Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
has La Défense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
, Manchester has its own modern financial centre in the form of Spinningfields".
The Spinningfields area assumes the shaped of a slightly warped box, being boxed in by Bridge Street to the north, Quay Street
Quay Street
Quay Street is a street in the city centre of Manchester, England. The street continues Peter Street westwards towards Salford. Spinningfields, Manchester's new business district, is to the north and Castlefield, the historical area of the city to the south...
to the south, Deansgate
Deansgate
Deansgate is a main road through the city centre of Manchester, England. It runs roughly north–south in a near straight route through the western part of the city centre and is the longest road in the city centre at over one mile long....
to the east, and the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
to the west.
The present day
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
; 1 Hardman Boulevard and 1 Spinningfields Square. The latter building opens onto Deansgate and, due to its accessibility to pedestrians, contains a deli
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
and a restaurant in its ground floor.
Across from 1 Hardman Boulevard is 2 Hardman Street, which is occupied by the Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
and Deloitte. Facing this building is 3 Hardman Street
3 Hardman Street
3 Hardman Street is a 16-storey high-rise tower in Spinningfields in Manchester England. The 75 metre office building is the second tallest building in the Spinningfields area to the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, which is five metres taller...
, which was constructed on the site of the former Manchester Evening News building. Designed by Sheppard Robson, the 16-storey building was completed in 2009 and, aside from the Manchester Civil Justice Centre
Manchester Civil Justice Centre
The Manchester Civil Justice Centre in Manchester, England houses the Manchester County Court and the Manchester District Registry of the High Court, Manchester City Magistrates’ Family Courts, the District Probate Registry, and the Regional and Area Offices of the Court Service.It was constructed...
, is the tallest in the development in Spinningfields, but could lose the title to the proposed 140 metre 1 Hardman Square.
There are residential buildings within Spinningfields in the form of the 16-storey Leftbank Apartments, which overlook the River Irwell, as well as government buildings, including the Civil Justice Centre of Manchester, an 80 m (262 ft) high building completed in 2007. The old criminal courts also lie within the Spinningfields area. Just outside the area, facing the Civil Justice Centre, is the People's History Museum
People's History Museum
The People's History Museum in Manchester, England is the United Kingdom's national centre for the collection, conservation, interpretation and study of material relating to the history of working people in the UK...
and, beyond that, Salford Central railway station
Salford Central railway station
Salford Central railway station is a railway station in Salford, Greater Manchester in the North West of England just over the River Irwell from Manchester city centre. It is very close to Manchester's Spinningfields district and the area behind the House of Fraser department store, Deansgate...
.
Also completed in 2007 are 3 Hardman Square and 4 Hardman Square, which were designed by Norman Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
, himself originally from Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, now part of Greater Manchester. 3 Hardman Square is occupied by Halliwells Solicitors and Number 4 is occupied by HSBC Bank
HSBC Bank (Europe)
HSBC Bank plc is one of the four major clearing banks in the United Kingdom and is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings. The business ranges from the traditional High Street roles of personal finance and commercial banking, to private banking, consumer finance as well as corporate and...
and Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton LLP encompasses the U.S. operations of Grant Thornton International, the largest accounting organizations outside of the Big Four . The member firms of Grant Thornton International comprise a global network of 27,000 employees and 2,207 partners in more than 110 countries...
.
Spinningfields Leisure
The area around the Left Bank residential development contains a cluster of restaurants including Café Rouge; Carluccio's; Gourmet Burger Kitchen; Giraffe; Ha! Ha!; Samsi; Strada; Wagamama; and Zizzi. Living Ventures plans two new establishments: The Alchemist (bar); and Australasia (fine dining restaurant) to open in late 2010/early 2011. Despite being linked to the scheme, it seems that Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
's Jamie's Italian will not be opening at Spinningfields--a location on King Street
King Street, Manchester
King Street is one of the most important thoroughfares of the city of Manchester, England. Once the centre of the north-west banking industry it is now predominantly an affluent shopping area.-History:...
seems the preferred option.
It is rumoured that Armani plans to open an Armani Caffe at the rear of its new store at 1 The Avenue. Fast food operators represented include: Bagel Nash; Greggs; Philpotts and Pret a Manger.
Spinningfields Retail
Allied London marketed Spinningfields retail offer as a "Knightsbridge of the North" following a pre-let to Emporio Armani & Armani Collezioni at 2 Spinningfields Square (renamed 1 The Avenue). However, the scheme's flagship thoroughfare 'The Avenue' struggled to attract the likes of Cartier, Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany whilst others such as Paul Smith pulled out of the scheme (1 Crown Square). The slow take-up led to the opening being pushed back from Autumn 2008 to Autumn 2010.
The revised line-up now (as of August 2010) comprises:
- All Saints (c.8,500 sq ft)
- Armani Collezioni & Emporio Armani (c.8,000 sq ft) - relocating from King Street
- Brooks Brothers
- DKNY
- Ermenegildo Zegna (operated by Flannels)
- Flannels (c.20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²) relocating from 3 Manchester locations)
- Hugo Boss
- Joseph (operated by Flannels and relocating from King Street)
- Kurt Geiger (relocating from St Ann's Square)
- LK Bennett
- Mulberry (c.3200 sq ft (297.3 m²) relocating from King Street)
- Nicky Clarke (relocating from The Triangle)
- Oliver Sweeney
- Rigby & Peller
- TM Lewin
- WH Smith
In July 2010, Allied London scrapped the 'Manchester Hotel' concept which would have replaced Manchester House. Instead a retail and office development incorporating a new retail arcade linking Bridge Street to The Avenue at its western end would be created by reconfiguring the building.
Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
has been announced as the anchor tenant occupying a unit fronting Bridge Street.
Future developments
1 Hardman Square, which lies partially along Quay Street (not far from Sunlight HouseSunlight House
Sunlight House is a Grade II listed art deco office building on Quay Street, Manchester, England.Built in 1932 by Joseph Sunlight, it is constructed of steel and concrete and clad in Portland stone. On completion,...
) is still in pre-planning stages, but is believed to be the tallest proposal of the development. A design of a building with a sloping roof and with a height of 165 m (541 ft) was submitted but has since been scrapped and new proposals being worked on thought to be around 140 metres in height. It will be designed by Norman Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
and construction cannot begin until the demolition of Quay House, which still lies on the current site.
The John Rylands Library
John Rylands Library
The John Rylands Library is a Victorian Gothic building on Deansgate in Manchester, England. The library, which opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Mrs Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her late husband, John Rylands...
(opened 1900) lies within the Spinningfields area, and a major extension and renovation of the building was completed in 2007, including a new entrance and reading room.
Although mostly commercial, the buildings within Spinningfields will contain various boutique retail outlets.